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Thera 13.1: Sona-Kolivisa
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(243):Sona-Kolivisa Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter XIII. Saying(gatha) of Thirteen Verses =243. Soṇa-Koḷivisa= He got rebirth, in the lifetime of our Exalted One(Buddha), at the city of Campā, in the family of a distinguished councillor. From the time when his birth was expected, his father's great wealth increased even more, and on his birthday the whole town kept festival. Now because of his generosity in a previous birth to a Silent Buddha, his body was as fine gold and most delicately soft, for that reason he was named Soṇa (golden). On the soles of his feet and the palms of his hand grew fine down of golden colour, and he was reared in luxury, in three mansions suited to each of the three seasons.1 Now when our Lord(Buddha) had attained omniscience and begun rolling the wheel of the Path(Dhamma), and was staying at Rājagaha, King Bimbisara sent for Soṇa. He, having arrived with a great company of fellow-townsmen, heard the Lord(Buddha) teach the Path(Dhamma), and, winning faith, obtained his parents' consent to enter the Monk’s order. He received a subject of study from the Lord(Buddha), but was unable to concentrate, owing to his maintaining interaction with people while he stayed in Cold Woodland. And he thought: 'My body is too delicately reared to arrive happily at happiness.2 A 276 monk's duties involve bodily fatigues.' So he disregarded the painful sores on his feet got from pacing up and down, and strove his utmost, but was unable to win. And he thought: 'I am not able to create3 either path or fruit. Of what use is the religious life to me? I will go back to lower things and work merit.' Then the Lord(Buddha) discerned, and saved him by the lesson on the Parable of the Lute,4showing him how to temper energy with calm. Thus corrected, he went to Vulture's Peak, and in due course won arahantship(enlightenment). Reflecting on his achievement, he thus declared his aññā(supreme attainment): ---- 632 Yāhu raṭṭhe samaiukkaṭṭho rañño aŋgassa paddhagū,|| Svājja dhamme su ukkaṭṭho soṇo dukkhassa pāragū.|| || 633 Pañca chinde pañca jahe pañca cuttari bhāvaye,|| Pañca saŋgātigo bhikkhu oghatiṇṇo' ti vuccati.|| || 634 Unnaḷassa pamattassa bāhirāsassa bhikkhuno,|| Sīlaɱ samādhi paññā ca pāripūriɱ na gacchati.|| || 635 Yaɱ hi kiccaɱ tadapaviddhaɱ akiccaɱ pana kayirati,|| Unnaḷānaɱ pamattānaɱ tesaɱ vaḍḍhanti āsavā.|| || 636 Yesaɱ ca susamāraddhā niccaɱ kāyagatā sati,|| Akiccaɱ te na sevanti kicce sātaccakārino,|| Satānaɱ sampajānānaɱ atthaɱ gacchanti āsavā.|| || 637 Ujumaggamhi akkhāte gacchatha mā nivattatha,|| Attanā codayattānaɱ nibbānamabhihāraye.|| || 638 Accāraddhamhi viriyamhi satthā loke anuttaro,|| Vīṇopamaɱ kiritvā me dhammaɱ desesi cakkhumā.|| || 639 Tassāhaɱ vacanaɱ sutvā vihāsiɱ sāsane rato,|| Samathaɱ paṭipādesiɱ uttamatthassa pattiyā,|| Tisso vijjā anuppattā kataɱ buddhassa sāsanaɱ.|| || 640 Nekkhamme adhimuttassa pavivekaɱ ca cetaso,|| Abyāpajjhādhimuttassa upādānakkhayassa ca.|| || 641 Taṇhakkhayādhimuttassa asammohaɱ ca cetaso,|| Disvā āyatanuppādaɱ sammā cittaɱ vimuccati.|| || 642 Tassa 66 sammā vimuttassa santacittassa bhikkhuno,|| Katassa paticayo natthi karaṇīyaɱ na vijjati.|| || 643 Selo yathā ekaghano vātena na samīrati,|| Evaɱ rūpā rasā saddā gandhā phassā ca kevalā.|| || 644 Iṭṭhā dhammā aniṭṭhā ca nappamedhenti tādino,|| Ṭhitaɱ cittaɱ visaññuttaɱ vayañcassātupassatī' ti.|| || ---- 632 Who once in Anga's realm was passing rich, A squire to Anga's king,5 lo! he to-day Is of fair wealth in spiritual things. Yes, past all sorrow has Soṇa won his way. 633 Five cut you off; Five leave behind, and Five beyond these cultivate! He who the Fivefold Bond transcends - a Monk Flood-crossed is he called.6 634 You see a Monk with a rush-like mind, and empty,7 trifler, keen to taste External things? Never will he attain Fullness of growth within the moral code, In mental training, or in insight's grasp.8 635 277 For such neglect that which they have to do, But what should not be done they bring to pass. In these conceited, desultory minds Grow rank weeds of the intoxicants(defilements/desires). 636 In whom the constant governance of sense Is well and earnestly begun, the things That should be left undone they practise not; Ever what should be done they bring to pass. For them who live mindful and self-possessed, The intoxicants(defilements/desires) decline utterly away. 637 In the straight Path, the Path that is declared, See that you walk, nor turn to right or left. Let each himself address and incite; Let each himself unto Nibbāna bring! 638 When overtaxed and strained my energies, The Lord(Buddha) - can the world reveal his peer? - Made me the parable about the lute, And thus the Man who Sees taught me the Path(Dhamma). 639 And I who heard his blessed word Glad only and always to do his will.9 Calm I evolved and practised, equipoise,10 That so to highest Good I might attain. And now the Threefold Wisdom have I won, And all the Buddha's brdinance is done. 640 He who has compassed yielding up the world. And has attained detachment of the mind,11 Who has achieved conquest of enmity, And grasping rooted out that br¡ngs birth, 641 And death of craving has attained and all That did bewilder and obscure the mind, 278 And of sensations marked the genesis: - His heart is set at perfect liberty. 642 For such a Monk rightly freed, whose heart Has peace, there is no mounting up of deeds, Nor yet remains aught for him to do. 643 Like to a rock that is a monolith,12 And trembls never in the windy blast, So all the world of sights and tastes and sounds, Odours and tangibles, yes, things desired, 644 And undesirable can never excite A man like him. His mind stands firm, detached. And of all that13 he notes the passing hence. ---- 1 This episode and the following occur in Vinaya Texts, ii. 1 ff. Koḷivisa, his family name, distinguishes him from the other Soṇas (CLVII., CCVIII.). 2 Cf. CLXX., verse 220. 3 Nibbattetuɱ. 4 Op. cit., p. 8, Ang. iii., 874 ff. He was to cultivate a just mean in effort, like a woll-strung lute. 5 Bimbisāra was therefore King of both Anga and Magadha. Cf. op. cit., 1, n. 2. On 'squire,' paddhagu, paṭagu, cf. Sutta Nipāta, verse 1094, 'comrade.' 6 = XV. See note there. 7 Unnaḷo is thua derived by Buddhists. Cf. s.v. Childers' Dictionary. The Commentary has the phrase there quoted: 'bearing uprisen the reed of pride.' The etymology is probably exegetical only; but it expresses what the word means for a Buddhist - and that is all that matters here. 8 The three trainings. Cf. my Buddhism, chap. viii. 9 Cf. verse 561; Sisters, LIX. ff. 10 The MSS. read here some samathaɱ, some samataɱ. The Cy. exploits both, and so does the translation. 11 These lines, to the end, occur verbatim in Vinaya Texts, loc. cit. and in Anguttara iii., 378. 12 Dhammapada, verse 81. 13 Assa for Tassa. The Cy. paraphrases by ārammaṇadhammassa ... khaṇe bhijjanasabhāvaɱ. ----